Dutch news in brief, 6 April 2006

6th April 2006, 0 comments

Missing persons DNA database launched

Missing persons DNA database launched

Dutch police launched a national database on Thursday to store physical and DNA information on people who are listed as missing. The DNA profiles will be collected from close relatives of the missing person. The information will be used when unidentified bodies are found. Old missing-persons cases will also be included in the database. Currently, 1,200 people are listed as missing in the Netherlands, 700 of whom have been missing for longer than three weeks. A person's details can be added to the database after they have been missing for 21 days.

Talpa axes key programme

Dutch television channel Talpa is axing its flag-ship programme NSE Nieuws, a spokesperson announced Wednesday. Media tycoon John the Mol had high hopes for NSE when he launched Talpa, but it has never achieved ratings to match rival programme RTL Boulevard, even though he poached RTL Boulevard's presenter Beau van Erven Dorens.

ESA unveils new robot arm

The European Space Agency (ESA) presented a new robot arm for the International Space Station (ISS) in Leiden on Wednesday. Like a stick insect, the flexible arm, 11 metres high and weighing 600 kilos, can move over the space station to carry out construction and repair work. The ESA's pride and glory has two wrists, one elbow, two arms and two multi-functional hands. It will be sent into space in 2007. ESA's space research and technology centre is in the Dutch town of Noordwijk, near Leiden.

Police want webmaster law

Webmasters must be obliged by law to monitor everything that happens on their websites, particularly when they host webcam communities for young people, Chris Groeneveld of the child porn unit of the Dutch national police service (KLPD) said on Thursday. These webcam communities are sometimes infiltrated by paedophiles. "The problem is that the internet is an anarchistic free medium. If the rules are changed in one country, they move to another country." He said the solution was to enact international laws to govern how websites are run.

Butcher closed down over rotten meat

A butcher's shop in the Dutch town of Emmen has been closed down after inspectors found 150 kilos of rotting meat on the premises, the local council said on Thursday. The same butcher was suspended from business last year for the same type of offence. On that occasion the inspectors were called in by locals disturbed by a foul smell. There were 300 kilos of rotting meat found in his shop. The council said it was a miracle no one became ill after eating his meat.